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Three very different amps. Which to choose?

YSDR

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A Revel F208 utilizes 2 pieces of SB23NBACS45-8, which have 60W rated power handling per unit, so 120W in total. I don't think you will ever need a multi-hundred Watt monster amp for this speaker.
I can be wrong of course.
 

Beershaun

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Id pick the Apollo, the purifi amps are fantastic thd and the peak and continuous power are more than the rest. At the end of the day you want power from your amp. Especially if you are driving a full range speaker. You will hear a big difference in the low end with the extra power the Apollon provides.
 

Doodski

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A Revel F208 utilizes 2 pieces of SB23NBACS45-8, which have 60W rated power handling per unit, so 120W in total. I don't think you will ever need a multi-hundred Watt monster amp for this speaker.
I can be wrong of course.
Being a 3-way the power handling is better than a 2-way and more power is required for the crossover and drivers as well the efficiency is not high on this model.
The combination of 5 ohms <Z> and –50° at 25Hz means that the F208 will need to be driven by a good 4 ohm-rated amplifier. As Erick Lichte noted, the speaker worked better from his tube amplifier's 4 ohm than from its 8 ohm output.
Low Frequency Extension-10dB@23Hz, -6dB@27 Hz, -3dB@31Hz
Low-frequency Driver ComponentsDual 8” (20 cm) Aluminum Cone, Cast-frame Woofers
Mid-frequency Driver Components5.25” (13.3 cm) Aluminum Cone, Cast-frame Midrange
Recommended Amplifier Power50-350 Watts RMS
Sensitivity88.5dB
 

YSDR

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You will hear a big difference in the low end with the extra power the Apollon provides
Proof of that? Say, against a similar low-noise power amp but just as much power as the speaker can handle safely.
 

YSDR

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Being a 3-way the power handling is better than a 2-way and more power is required for the crossover and drivers as well the efficiency is not high on this model.
The combination of 5 ohms <Z> and –50° at 25Hz means that the F208 will need to be driven by a good 4 ohm-rated amplifier. As Erick Lichte noted, the speaker worked better from his tube amplifier's 4 ohm than from its 8 ohm output.
Low Frequency Extension-10dB@23Hz, -6dB@27 Hz, -3dB@31Hz
Low-frequency Driver ComponentsDual 8” (20 cm) Aluminum Cone, Cast-frame Woofers
Mid-frequency Driver Components5.25” (13.3 cm) Aluminum Cone, Cast-frame Midrange
Recommended Amplifier Power50-350 Watts RMS
Sensitivity88.5dB
Okay, the passive filtering burns some electrical energy, but the low-frequency (where the most music power lies) drivers in the speaker still rated at 60W per unit.
 

Doodski

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Proof of that? Say, against a similar low-noise power amp but just as much power as the speaker can handle safely.
Doesn't the improved power output linearity of a low Z output amp improve everything bass included?
 

Doodski

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Okay, the passive filtering burns some electrical energy, but the low-frequency (where the most music power lies) drivers in the speaker still rated at 60W per unit.
How ~much energy does the crossover burn up? This is something that I have not approached.
 

Beershaun

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Proof of that? Say, against a similar low-noise power amp but just as much power as the speaker can handle safely.
Ok. One more time...
 

YSDR

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Come on guys, please understand, the woofers of the F208 have a combined rated power handling of 120W per speaker. If an amp can deliver this power without too much distortion, the sound doesn't improve if more amp power is available. But even with 120W (or less) from the amp, this speaker would distort and compress significantly I guess.
 

Doodski

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Come on guys, please understand, the woofers of the F208 have a combined rated power handling of 120W per speaker. If an amp can deliver this power without too much distortion, the sound doesn't improve if more amp power is available. Even with 120W (or less) from the amp, this speaker would distort and compress significantly.
Why would Revel rate the power amp requirement as 50-350 Watts RMS<?>
 

YSDR

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Why would Revel rate the power amp requirement as 50-350 Watts RMS<?>
Because some amps are false specced?
More amp power usually don't hurts if not pushed to the speakers, just makes your wallet lighter.
I would be curious what this speaker would do if 350 real, low frequency Watts would come from the amp.
 
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Doodski

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Because some amp are false specced?
More amp power usually don't hurts if not pushed to the speakers, just makes your wallet lighter.
I would be curious what this speaker would do if 350 real, low frequency Watts would come from the amp.
350 real low RMS Watts would eject the woofers I think.
 

YSDR

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If Apollon Audio, my choice of amp for the F208 would be an NC122MP or a not much more expensive NC252MP. Or for even lower noise (not for its power) the NCx500ST. But the F208 is not a high sensitivity speaker, so the lower tier Hypex amps would be sufficient noise-wise I think.
 

DanielT

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A Revel F208 utilizes 2 pieces of SB23NBACS45-8, which have 60W rated power handling per unit, so 120W in total. I don't think you will ever need a multi-hundred Watt monster amp for this speaker.
I can be wrong of course.
Being a 3-way the power handling is better than a 2-way and more power is required for the crossover and drivers as well the efficiency is not high on this model.
The combination of 5 ohms <Z> and –50° at 25Hz means that the F208 will need to be driven by a good 4 ohm-rated amplifier. As Erick Lichte noted, the speaker worked better from his tube amplifier's 4 ohm than from its 8 ohm output.
Low Frequency Extension-10dB@23Hz, -6dB@27 Hz, -3dB@31Hz
Low-frequency Driver ComponentsDual 8” (20 cm) Aluminum Cone, Cast-frame Woofers
Mid-frequency Driver Components5.25” (13.3 cm) Aluminum Cone, Cast-frame Midrange
Recommended Amplifier Power50-350 Watts RMS
Sensitivity88.5dB
This one, or two of these, should do the job, so to speak:
Fosi Audio Mono V3 amplifier power 4 ohm measurement.png




Amir: Amazing that this little amplifier can handle even 2 ohm load! Note that these are short term power ratings.

Fosi Audio: The V3 Mono is our first amp with PFFB implementation. During the period we sent the set to Amir for testing, our R&D team did not stop optimizing the V3 Mono, and we have now further improved its frequency response curve. Below is the chart for your reference.:

IMG_5594 (1).PNG


Edit:
So you have money to spare compared to other amps suggested in this thread. Money that can then be used o buy a better listening armchair, (or partially finance one), or a better thick carpet to put in front of the speakers, maybe vinyl records (if that's your thing) and so on.:)

Okay, if vinyl records are used and switched with streamed music, maybe an integrated amp with two inputs, one of which is phono, might be a better choice, but still.
 
Last edited:

wwenze

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Being a 3-way the power handling is better than a 2-way and more power is required for the crossover and drivers as well the efficiency is not high on this model.
The combination of 5 ohms <Z> and –50° at 25Hz means that the F208 will need to be driven by a good 4 ohm-rated amplifier. As Erick Lichte noted, the speaker worked better from his tube amplifier's 4 ohm than from its 8 ohm output.
Low Frequency Extension-10dB@23Hz, -6dB@27 Hz, -3dB@31Hz
Low-frequency Driver ComponentsDual 8” (20 cm) Aluminum Cone, Cast-frame Woofers
Mid-frequency Driver Components5.25” (13.3 cm) Aluminum Cone, Cast-frame Midrange
Recommended Amplifier Power50-350 Watts RMS
Sensitivity88.5dB

The Fosi amp has more power at higher phase angles

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